Official

At the beginning of this year, the Tokyo Architectural Festival, an unprecedented large-scale architectural festival, will be held around Saturday, May 25 and 26 (Sun).

You can see the interior of many famous buildings that are usually closed to the public and cannot be accessed. In particular, you can see a lot of architecture in Chuo-ku and it is an event that Chuo-ku fans cannot miss. For example, a special tour of the large safe and former president's office in the Mitsui Main Building, Minori Kai and Minori Kai at the Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Main Store, and a special tour of the Nisshokan, K5, Kabuto-cho No. 7 Peace Building. There are still a lot.

No application is required and free of charge. There is no guide, but free audio guides are available for all "special open" architectures. You can listen to the highlights, features, and historical backgrounds of public buildings. The commentary is Professor Shunsuke Kurakata, the chairman of the executive committee. Kurakata, an architectural historian and professor of Osaka City University, is a leading expert in Chuta Ito's research designed by Tsukiji Honganji. I had been taking a lecture by Dr. Kurakata at the Culture Center in the past, but even as an amateur, I will explain architecture and architects in an easy-to-understand manner. I'm really looking forward to it.

"Guided Tour" requires a fee, lottery system, and prior application. There are lots of attractive tours and I'm wondering which one to apply for.

What I am most concerned about is

・[Ginza Sony Park] On the 26th, Sony-like rebuilding will be open to the public before completion.

I can only see the rebuilding of Sony Park now, so I would like to see it and listen to the commentary. It seems that it is a special exhibition only for the Tokyo Architectural Festival.

Mr. Kurakata, the chairman of the executive committee, is also involved in the “Living Architecture Museum” (commonly known as “Ikefest”), “Kyoto Modern Architecture Festival” and “Kobe Modern Architecture Festival” in Osaka, which began in 2014 and has been held every fall. Osaka has many attractive modern architectures in the city, and it is also used in active use. I feel that it is a city where old architecture is carefully used. On the day of the Ike Festival, many people are observing the architecture with an official guidebook. I am glad that the Tokyo Architectural Festival is held in Tokyo, and many people can like the city through attractive architecture.

Please come and visit us.

Click here for the official website of the Tokyo Architectural Festival.

Please check the date and time when participating. The application for the guided tour lottery is until April 26 (Fri), so if you have a tour you want to participate in, don't forget to apply.